Chapter Two: The Problem And The Solution
All eyes followed as Riley closed the door behind her, the silence continued on for a few more minutes, each at a loss. It was Kala who broke it first.
"How much is left?" she now asked. "What is he taking?"
Nomi scanned the room and got up and walked to the table beside the couch Will was sleeping on. "It's this," she answered her. "When Riley was talking she kept turning her head to this table. She didn't say what she was administering but my best guess is this is why she needs our help." Nomi walked over to Kala and gave her the vials.
Kala turned them around and looked at the label while Wolfgang looked over her shoulder.
"What is it?" Wolfgang now asked her, recognizing the expression on her face.
"It seems simple enough to replicate," she told them, "but I can't do it at work. I cannot raise suspicion."
"How much time do we have now before it runs out?" It was Capheus now asking the question.
"Any thoughts on how to protect Will and us at the same time?" added Lito.
"Will has also been here for two weeks," chimed in Sun. "I think he and Riley will be safe for a little while longer but they will have to move. The question is where."
With all the random thoughts being voiced out loud, Kala remained silent, staring at the bottle,
Wolfgang continuing to look at her closely.
"What if you get what is needed to make the stuff. Can you tell just by looking at the bottle what you'll need?," he now asked her.
"I think so," Kala answered. "But it's like I said before, I can't work on this at the lab and I won't need just the ingredients. I will need equipment too. That is the other problem."
"I can get what you need," Capheus told her with confidence. "Mr. Kabaka can get it for me if I ask. He has been very good to me."
"I'll have Bug get the lab stuff." Nomi added.
"Bug?" now asked Lito with a laugh. "What sort of name is 'Bug' ?"
"That is what I have always known him as," Nomi answered with a smile. "He was a very resourceful associate of mine back in the day."
Lito nodded, understanding her meaning. Her smile widened. She turned her head back to Kala.
"Where do you want it when I get it? I'm sure you don't want it at home. That could raise questions too."
For a few more minutes silence rested on them all while they thought of a solution to the problem of keeping Wll asleep to avoid Whispers. But it seemed like other problems seemed to arise with every thought.
"One problem at a time, people," Lito answered their thoughts aloud, now holding his head with his hands. "We will get a headache if we don't." They all laughed at his exasperation.
Sun stood up and walked to where Will lay. After looking at him momentarily she turned again to face the group.
"My company has a lab," she told them. "If there is a way you can get to Seoul, Kala, I can give you all the access to pharmaceuticals and equipment you'll need. And I can be sure you work in private. No other lab rats to see what you are doing. No one will question me."
Kala paused for a moment and looked back at Sun and smiled with concern. "I have never left India for anything. Not even for work. My parents did convince me to get a passport though, years ago, when I was a student in the event I got to study abroad. I never got the chance to use it but I will still need a visa for South Korea and that will take time. Because I never left India I never needed to apply for one and that will take time. And we don't have much of that to spare, much less to buy." She sighed.
Lito, standing quietly, listened carefully to the exchange of words. It was hard to plan anything together, much less accomplish it, with each living in varying parts of the world. Every idea was plausible and with some tweaking could work. But something was nagging that he couldn't put a finger on. The rest shared in his unexplainable concern. Like a shot he stood up and faced the group.
"I got it! Something that will work without much effort and no suspicion." He jumped up and clapped his hand in excitement.
As the group stared at him puzzled, he went on.
"I," he told them slowly, pointing to himself with pride, "am an actor." He gave an exaggerated bow.
"We know," said Wolfgang, " and?"
"And, " Lito finished for him, "and, when I am on a project with my company we go everywhere to film"
"They all do," Wolfgang told him back not quite following.
"I can tell them to go to India, Kala, where you are. I can tell them to go where all of you are. Just tell me where. I can get you hired as an extra. And then take you with me...," Lito stopped, his eyes wide. He looked from one to the other, knowingly, giving them a chance to follow his thought.
"Ya know," Nomi now said after another moment of silence, "that just may work." She turned to Kala. "He can take his company to Mumbai and 'find' you and then take you to Seoul. In the meantime you can apply for your passport and have it rushed and by the time Lito gets to you..."
"You will be able to fly out of India," Lito finished.
Kala stood up now as the rest looked at her for her answer. Before she did she walked over to Will and gently stroked his cheek. She then turned to face everyone.
"I think this will work best too," she now told them. "But we all must be in agreement in this, and Riley is not to be left alone to tend to Will by herself."
"How much time exactly do we have til the vials run out? That is the only window we have and it is a one shot deal," now said Wolfgang.
Turning her attention to the bottle in her hand, Kala walked back over to the table where the rest were. The one she had in her hand was not yet full and so she counted the ones that were. All empty medicines were gone and, most likely, tossed by Riley.
"Are you working now?" she now asked Lito.
"I start filming tomorrow. We are going to shoot for a few hours in Mexico but then have to travel to Spain for a few scenes. Director wants authenticity." He looked at the group now all looking at him attentively. "I did fight to stay in Mexico because I did not want to leave Hernando. I lost. Which is now a good thing because I can tell them we need to film in India. Scenery will be more realistic there anyway for the film we are doing. Since we will be out that far why not farther, yes?"
"If I fill out the paperwork today..." Kala spoke quietly, almost to herself.
"I can always expedite the processing. The submission of your visa application anyway...and your passport renewal. Then again, you may not need a visa, just a passport renewal. There are some countries that don't require one if you are working and some you don't need until you get there. I will find out for sure but in the meantime you can go ahead and send your visa application to me when you're done. Better safe than sorry right?" Nomi finished.
"But how much time do we have?" Capheus echoed. "If Whispers finds a way to get to us..."
"He won't." Wolfgang said assuringly. He had done this before, being lookout and watching for impending danger when he and Felix were out on jobs when the two were younger. "At least one of us will be here with Will and Riley at a time. And if we have to move while Kala is making more of this stuff we will. No need to worry until we really have to."
"If we can manage to stretch this," Kala told them now, "we will have another week and a half. Two at best. Looking at the syringe, if it is filled half way or three quarters, that should buy us the time we'll need."
Kala looked over to the closed door that held a now sleeping Riley. As she did so she heard a stir from behind her. All eyes were now fixed to the couch where Will lay. He was tossing and speaking incoherently. He shot up suddenly, his eyes opened wide and saw several pairs of eyes staring at him.